Cancer - Recently Updated Pages

Feedback on books, magazines, and journals

eyoste — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:28:28 CDT

Below is a partial list of cancer books, magazines, and journals available to you. We urge you to add your favorites to this list.

Books

Hope, Faith and Charlie (to purchase visit: www.hopefaithandcharlie.com) by Deirdre Carey
Hailed by The Boston Globe and FOX TV as a heartwarming, inspirational story, Hope, Faith and Charlie is a memoir about 6-month old Charlie Capodanno's courageous battle (and ultimate survival) of stage 4 brain and spine cancer, his family's onwavering fight to defy the odds, and the true miracle which unfolded before our eyes. "The books is inspirational and emotional, heart-wrenching and heart-warming, sometimes laughable and often times laudable and overflowing with invaluable life lessons each reader will take to heart. It is a true story with a miraculous ending." Written from the heart of Charlie's mom, Deirdre Carey, this empowering book is a must read for anyone facing a life threatening challenge or disease, caregivers, or people in need of renewing their faith and belief in miracles. It proves when all you have is hope, your own faith and your own will power, you have the exact combination to tackle any challenge head on! A cancer diagnosis is devasting, but the outcome can be glorious and can change your whole perspective on life!

An Angel's Kiss Embracing the Spirit of a Child Born with Cancer by Buffy Krajewski
An Angel's Kiss Embracing the Spirit of a Child Born with Cancer
An Angel’s Kiss is the factual story of the birth and subsequent struggle for survival of a child born with a cancer that afflicts only .2% of all people diagnosed each year. Readers are taken through the author’s pregnancy, delivery, her son’s diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma, and ultimately her unrelenting depression. It is a realistic account of a mother’s fight to save her son’s life, to reclaim her family, and in the end to save her from the guilt that she allowed to consume her for years. Krajewski speaks honestly about the emotions most mothers don’t want to admit feeling. Her candidness spins a tale of fear and grief. It shows the raw pain that this monster of a disease causes. Krajewski has given readers the opportunity to stand in her shoes and experience something nobody should endure; however, in the end it is a story of survival, determination, a mother’s refusal to allow her child to become a statistic, and ultimately inspiration.

Lean on Me-Cancer through a Carer's Eyes
by Lorraine Kember
An inspirational true story of a wife's emotional journey as she cares for her dying husband and improves the quality of his life. Includes excerpts and poems from wife's personal diary plus pain management information and coping with grief. Highly recommended by the Cancer Council. A must read book for Carers.

Dancing in Limbo: Making Sense of Life After Cancer by Glenna Halvorson-Boyd and Lisa K. Hunter is a fantastic book offering insight into surviving cancer and finishing treatment. It is a fantastic resource for patients who may find themselves experiencing unexpected feelings after completing their cancer treatments.

Not Now... I'm Having a No Hair Day: Humor & Healing for People with Cancer, by Christine Clifford (University of Minnesota Press): Author Christine Clifford recounts her battle with breast cancer through a series of humorous cartoons.

Our Family Has Cancer, Too!, by Christine Clifford and Jack Lindstrom (University of Minnesota Press): Clifford's second book on cancer is written from the perspective of her 15-year-old son. It takes a light, humorous approach to cancer.

Live Strong: Inspirational Stories from Cancer Survivors--from Diagnosis to Treatment and Beyond, complied by the Lance Armstrong Foundation (Broadway): This collection of stories provides a candid look into the lives of cancer survivors.

Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do, by Greg Anderson and O. Carl Simonton (Plume Books): Author and cancer survivor Greg Anderson provides advice on how to deal with cancer before, during, and after treatment.

Diagnosis Cancer: Your Guide Through the First Few Months, by Wendy Schiessel Harpham (W.W. Norton & Co Inc.): The author, a cancer survivor, provides practical advice for getting through the confusing period after a cancer diagnosis.

Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy, by Malin Dollinger (Andrews McMeel Publishing): A layperson's guide to understanding cancer, this guide uses straightforward language to describe the latest in cancer treatments and theories.

The Safe Shopper's Bible, by David Steinman and Samuel Epstein: A great source of information about which consumer products contain carcinogenic materials. Rates the safety of thousands for products based on the chemicals they contain.

Managing the Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy,

by Marylin Dodd, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN.

Managing the Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy, is cited by
professionals and patient advocacy groups as the definitive source of information to
support the care of cancer patients. It is also a useful guide for patient selfcare.

Magazines and journals

BMC Cancer: An academic publication that publishes articles on all aspects of cancer research.

Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine: A free quarterly publication distributed to breast cancer patients and survivors . It offers hope and encouraging testimonials of breast cancer survivors. This magazine also has great articles about prevention and they welcome your story and the stories of those you love.

Coping with Cancer magazine: A consumer magazine for people whose lives have been touched by cancer; now in its 19th year.

Cancer Control: Journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center: Aimed primarily at medical professionals, this journal is published four times per year and contains peer-reviewed articles.

CURE: Cancer Updates, Research & Education: A national free patient and caregiver magazine including the Cancer Resource Guide, given to every new subscriber.

The New England Journal of Medicine: A journal for medical professionals that publishes new medical research findings, reviews, and editorial opinion on a wide variety of medical topics.

Physician's First Watch: Breaking news from medical journals, government agencies, scientific conferences, and major media reports.

Women & Cancer: A quarterly magazine for women with cancer.

See also

Mailing lists
Movies
Other cancer websites
Message boards

My Mom Battled Breast Cancer

mileycyrusrox123 — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:09:33 CDT

My Story

Hi, My name is Jackie, and I am a breast cancer survivor of 5 years.
In July of 1999 I went to see my primary care physician because my left nipple had become introverted and I was having shooting pain in that breast. I had a girl friend that was a breast cancer survivor of 18 years that kept telling me the good news was I was having pain, which usually meant no cancer. I went down to have my mammogram in Palm Desert, CA. The breast care clinic there does takes care of everything at once. If there is something suspicious, they look further into without you having to go back to the doctor. When you leave the clinic you know there is nothing in the breast, or as in my case, you have an appointment with a surgeon. When I met with the surgeon he told there was a 70 per cent change that I had cancer. When we did the biopsy, I was awoken by a nurse and the Doctor to "Jackie, you defiantly have breast cancer". The doctor continued to talk, but to this day I have no idea what he was saying. He absolutely took my breath away. I was 45, I had a 2 year old daughter, and I had just got married in June. This could not be happening, this was not real. All I wanted was to get into the safety of my home. When I arrived home, my best friend was there, along with my 19 year old son. I sat down in my chair and my friend said "Well"?? And then I took her breath away, along with my son. We had no way to know the roller coaster ride we where about to take. This took me places I never knew existed, physically and mentally.
When I went back to see my surgeon, he told me basically it was not a big deal. He was going with a pre type biopsy report, not the full report. There where some things said that did not make sense to me. I got a copy of the biopsy report, learning what everything meant, what stage my cancer was, what the DNA factor was, and all the other factors of my biopsy. I took the report and saw my primary care physician, who was a country doctor that had retired after 30 years as a OB/GYN. He looked over the report and told me if I was his wife he would tell me to have a mastectomy. Then I got a second opinion of a surgeon that had done some surgery on me, and he told me the same thing. So, I made the decision to have a mastectomy. After my mastectomy I start chemotherapy. Everything that could go wrong, did. I thought I was at the end of my life. My veins collapsed and I had to have a catheter put in to take my blood and to have my chemotherapy. My white count went blow 500 every time and I had to have painful shoots 3 days in a row. I ended up with a staff infection from the catheter and in the hospital for a week. I did not ever think this was going to come to an end, this is how life would be to the end. I was wrong. It did come to an end. In April of 2000, I was told I was in remission.
Then came the mental change came. My life was not what I wanted it to be. There where things I wanted to accomplish that I had not yet done. I was living in a small town, had been there for 10 years on Social Security Disability for depression. All of sudden I could not breath in that town. There had to be more to life than this, and I wanted to experience it. This new husband turned out not to be what I thought he was, and to make a long story short, he was drunk, went to hit me, and hit my 4 year old daughter in December 2000. In January 2001, I packed a moving truck and my daughter and I moved 5 states away where my grown children lived. I got a job with the largest retailer in the world in their information division, and I have gotten off Social Security. I like what I am doing, and none of this would have happened had I not had breast cancer. Watching my sons' get married, I thank God for being there to see it. Watching each of my grandchildren come into this world, I thank God I am here to see that. Not only was it a blessing to be alive, it was a blessing know that I really could have missed all this and what a gift God had given me. Some of life's greatest moments are taken for granted when you have not faced a life threatening situation. Everyday is a gift. All the good things that have happened leaves a feeling of "Wow, I would not have experienced and/or appreciated that had it not been for having had breast cancer", and I have truly thanked God for having had breast cancer.
In 2004 I had 5 lumps developed in my right breast with a type of DNA that was like a pre-cancer. It put me at a greater risk than I already was in to developed breast cancer in my right breast. When the last lump developed, my oncologist and my surgeon and I decided to remove my right breast before anything had a chance to developed. That was in October 2004. Society puts a lot on the body, especially women, and their breast. This last Christmas as I watched my daughter get excited over what Santa left her, and as I watched my adult children and grandkids open their presents, and we shared our meal together, I thought this is well worth loosing both my breast. I am here sharing and building memories. And that is what matters the most. I am 51 now, I take my daughter and my grandchildren down and get our pictures taken at least once a year. I know that tomorrow may not come. The country song "Live as if you are dying" says it all. It says "I hope you get the change to live as if you where dying". It is a blessing living with the knowledge that this could be your last day. I would not have this blessing had it not been for my breast cancer. I do things I would not have done, take changes I would not ever taken. I don't put off some of those things that we can forget to do, like go down and have your picture taken with the kids.
Finding out I had breast cancer and my treatment was hell, and recovery has taken me into heaven right here on earth. Not that life is perfect, life is life, and it continues to happen regardless of past experiences, I just appreciate it more and I would not change any of it for anything.
May God bless you.
Thank you, Jackie *no last name for a safety to us* :) This all happend to my ma and im the 4 year old daughter exept im 11 now so ya!! Try dealing with dat!

Thanks,
The Family Of Jackie
FOR LISTNEING!!!

does car tyre contain carcinogens

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:14:07 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Being a Cancer Survivor

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:24:16 CDT

http://www.treat-cancer.nl/

Hi, my name is Karen. Have you ever wondered how in the world that one person can survive so much pain and suffering in their life? Well, I would love to share with you how I went from despair to joy. Would you like to find out what it's like from a cancer patients point of view? Our bodies are miraculous!! It's amazing how much abuse, pain, surgery, poking and prodding that a body can endure. Mine has come through 14 different surgeries in just the last 14 years. Walk with me as I share my journey through this incredible ordeal. It has taken a lot of personal development on my part to get me through the trauma. My story could possibly be your story. There are probably many things that we have in common, you just haven't written yours down. I pray that you will have the courage to do so after reading my book. My name is Karen; I am a 44-year-old mother of four, with a marvelous husband, one grandson, and two granddaughters. I started singing when I was 8 years old. God has taken me down many paths since then. At the age of 9, twice a copperhead bit me. At the age of 10, I was in a severe car accident with my family. In the 10th grade, I started working at a rest home as a volunteer. I enjoyed it so much, that I continued through until the 12th grade. I was told that I could not stay there anymore because I was spending too much time with the patients. I sang to them brushed their hair, and rubbed their feet. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I say this to let you know that I have a deep love for my elders. At the age of 25, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a complete Hysterectomy. God wasn’t finished testing me yet. At 32, I was diagnosed with a Vertebral Artery Dissection in the brain. As you can imagine, I often wondered how much a body could take. I trusted in the Lord to take care of me, and he did. In 1997, I started my own business so I could stay home with my children. God blessed the business with an overabundance of joy and financial blessings. I still sang for Gods glory during all of the trails and all of the good times. I learned from reading Gods word and from huge amounts of self-motivational books, that "If it is to be, its up to me!" I decided that it was time for me to give back something of myself to mankind; by helping others feel good about themselves, and to have a positive attitude no matter what the situation. I began doing that through sharing my testimony. In June of 2001, I was once again diagnosed with Cancer. This time of the Colon, I prayed for God to get me through this and once again he delivered me. He wasn’t finished with me yet, so in February 2002, I was diagnosed with Cancer of the Liver. I told God that I would bear the load if only I could touch one person. He allowed me to touch more than one; he has allowed me to touch thousands. Before going into surgery for the Liver Cancer, the doctors told me to get my affairs in order because I probably wouldn’t make it through this time. I told them that they weren’t God, and that he would decide when it was time for me to go. I got through that one with a victorious smile and a lot of pain after 9 hours of surgery and a lot of prayer. With great expectations, I continued to sing Gods praises. Little did I know that he had more in store for me, In June of 2003, I was diagnosed with Rectal Cancer. They told me I would have a permanent colostomy and basically not much of a life. They wanted me to go to counseling, but God wanted me to be the counselor. Have you ever wondered what your family member or friends are going through when they are diagnosed with cancer? Just read the words of my book for encouragement. There is something you can do to help. You can take action now by purchasing my book. I guarantee that you will travel an emotional highway as you live through the experiences with me. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will rejoice with me as you find the answers that you have been searching for. In conclusion, I just want to sing and share my testimony with the world.My prayer is that this book will be a blessing to you and your loved ones. It has been very healing for me to write. I look forward to sharing my whole story with you in the upcoming pages of One Woman’s Story: How I Survived Cervical, Colon, Liver and Rectal Cancer. In His Grip, Karen www.4xcancersurvivor.com fourxsurvivor@yahoo.com

Cancer Treatment

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:23:26 CDT

We want to inform you about a new way to treat cancer:

http://www.treat-cancer.nl/

Treat Cancer with Flavonoids

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:20:43 CDT

Flavonoids are compounds from plants (fruits and vegetables) and are proven to kill cancer cells. According to a new website you can treat cancer with Flavonoids:

http://www.treat-cancer.nl/

Animal model

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:41:27 CDT

if you like animals please go to my site and check us out!!...www.drvirginiaturecky.com...thank you!

Pancreatic Cancer

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:48:20 CDT

Please contribute what you know about about this form of cancer by clicking the EasyEdit button. Go ahead and add to the subtopics below, or add your own. If the page becomes to overwhelming, feel free to add subpages to this topic and move the appropriate content. Take a look at the Breast Cancer section for an idea of how to manage excessive information.

General Description: A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas. Also called exocrine cancer.

Causes & Risk Factors:

Detection & Diagnosis:

Prevalence:

Prevention:

Prognosis:

Symptoms:Fatigue, abdominal pain,jaundice and diarrhea

Treatment Options: Whipple procedure for removal, chemo and radiation

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barret"s esophagus precancerus lesion

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:11:42 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

barret"s esophagusprecancerus lesion

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:09:00 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Randomization

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:05:29 CDT

I am the maker of webkinzgiver!!!! ha ha ha!!!! this is a clue to all webkinzgiver users!!!

Breast Cancer Medications

SirG — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:16:44 CDT

Source:

Date:

Headline:

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Anonymous — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:38:33 CDT

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Garden valerian

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:40:43 CDT

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Valeriana officinalis. A plant whose roots are used as a sedative and to treat certain medical conditions. It is being studied as a way to improve sleep in cancer patients undergoing treatment. Also called valerian, Indian valerian, Pacific valerian, Mexican valerian, garden heliotrope, and Valerianae radix.

Source

Source: The National Cancer Institute (NCI)

heart cancerr

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:48:53 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

This is so hard.

dani92 — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:22:47 CDT

Hi, my name is Dani and I'm 15. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer on her birthday a little over a month ago. I guess before they had told me i knew that was why my parents were acting weird. When my mother told my sister and I, I couldn't hold it together. The reality of it all was to hard to handle. I didn't know how to take it so i left, i left my mother, father, sister, and brother in the living room talking while i cried, alone, on my swing set like a child. I didn't want to hear the truth, i wanted lies, that she was fine that nothing was growing on her lungs.

When i came in my sister pulled me into another room and talked to me. I still could not stop crying and i was so pissed off at her that she wasn't crying. How could she not be crying? i didn't understand it. Finally when i asked her she said she was doing it for me, her baby sister. I knew she cared but i didn't know she would do something like that for me. She explained to me that they caught the cancer early and that it would be cured. She gave me the good stuff first, then hit me with the hard facts. Sha(my sister, 33) explained to me that she would get sick, fast. That i would have to step up to fill her position in the house since she couldn't. Sha told me about how her hair was to fall out and she would get weak. All i could think of is that i have to prepare. I went to my sports coach and told him what was going on. He was there for me and helped me SO much during the beginning and i spent the first few days of the reality in his office crying, or actually getting sleep, or just talking.

Its been a little over a month now. She has no hair, but her spirits are high. My mother is laughing and joking, and i admire her courage and strength. I'm still scared that i will wake up one morning finding her cold and gone or something crazy like that. I don't know how i could not think it. I haven't told anyone that also, I'm afraid that i have no idea actually. Its all so hard and scary. I love my mother and I'm confident that she will get through this, i just let my mind wander.
And sometimes when things get bad i don't know where to go. Until i found this website.

please pray for my mother to get through this.
<3

Sharing Experiences

Jennyreg — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:15:53 CST

Hi - my name is Jenny and I have survived Breast Cancer for over ten years now. I am thanking God every day for my life and what a wonderful life it is today. I really believe in the power of positive thinking and living a strong and healthy lifestyle. God is your creator and he gave you a head to use so use it for the good of you to benefit many others. That is my story and I am sticking to it.
http://www.cancertohealthylifestyle.com
The following is an article I have written and would like to share with you. Please enjoy!

Essential Ingredients to GOOD HEALTH!

Love, Life & Laughter - Sounds wonderful doesn't it?

Have you ever really thought about the true meaning of each of these valuable words; in your words only; solely relating to you.

Let us exam "Love" first. I believe, and you would probably have to agree, you can't have Life and Laughter successfully without the most important "Love". To Love is to be Loved first. You know the saying "Love, love your brother, as much as you love yourself". Well it is true. If you don't LIKE who you are, which really is a stronger verb than LOVE then you really have less chance of liking or loving someone else very much at all. So how do we do this 'LOVE YOURSELF' or 'LIKE YOURSELF' thing successfully. First and foremost you must make sure the relationship you have with yourself is unconditional. Don't BEAT yourself up over small insignificant things. None of us are perfect - all of us have faults, just some more than others. We must learn to accept every aspect of "ME" (YOU) - every simple tiny detail. We don't necessarily have to like everything, as that allows room for a CHANGE - IMPROVEMENT even. That's a good thing; a Healthy Thing.

"Love doesn't erase the past, but it makes the future different." as quoted by Gary Chapman in THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES. Therefore be open to the fact that you will perform acts you utterly dislike about yourself and regret will be a major possibility, but if you recognise these acts and forgive yourself of them, then you will be able to move forward, thus making your future different. We must Learn from our Mistakes and make every mistake benefit our future. Don't waste mistakes with regret - prosper with excitement of a lesson learnt improving everything in your path for tomorrow. Life really is an amazing adventure and if we look at every moment of it with excitement, even in the tough times, we will succeed. So accept yourself unconditionally, love yourself unconditionally, & enjoy your life unconditionally. This brings me to the next point.

'LIFE' - Fun, Disaster, enjoyment, disappointment, laughter etc. etc. As different a life each one of us has from the other, we all experience many different angles to many different situations. How we deal with those completely satisfying or disastrous situations is the crucial point to the destiny of our "LIFE"!

A positive outlook on a negative situation can only make the unwanted, 'hard to deal with situation', much easier to resolve and walk through, not to mention, live through. A positive outlook on a positive situation can only enhance the outcome by 150% at least. Both situations end up with a much better 'MOVE FORWARD WITH A SMILE OF CONTENTMENT' outlook on Life.

Which leads me to the next paragraph "LAUGHTER". This, I believe, is the Cream on Top of the whole recipe to Good Health; the essential ingredient that sits up high oozing down through all the above, flavouring, sweetening and softening all to a totally, healthy blissful life!

Laughter is the medicine that makes a healing power totally possible. The old saying 'It takes more effort to Smile than to Frown' only enhances the fact that a wiser person is a happier person. If you have the energy and willpower to smile and laugh through the most difficult and life stretching moments, you have the very recipe for great wisdom, strength, positive ingenuity, and a total understanding of the meaning of LOVE, LIFE & LAUGHTER! This was my experience when I had Breast Cancer over ten years ago. The road was hard with many potholes, however LAUGHTER just lifted my spirits and made the light at the end of the tunnel glow beyond belief. It gave me so much HOPE.

Take all of the above and gulp it, swallow it and completely digest it into a healthy love and life stream, which will only result in complete satisfaction of your heart. Try the Special Recipe of Life - it really does work!

www.cancertohealthylifestyle.com

http://cancertohealthylifestyle.frupee.com

http://www.cancerhelpsupport.com/

Hi, my name is Karen. Have you ever wondered how in the world that one person can survive so much pain and suffering in their life? Well, I would love to share with you how I went from despair to joy. Would you like to find out what it's like from a cancer patients point of view? Our bodies are miraculous!! It's amazing how much abuse, pain, surgery, poking and prodding that a body can endure. Mine has come through 14 different surgeries in just the last 14 years. Walk with me as I share my journey through this incredible ordeal. It has taken a lot of personal development on my part to get me through the trauma. My story could possibly be your story. There are probably many things that we have in common, you just haven't written yours down. I pray that you will have the courage to do so after reading my book. My name is Karen; I am a 44-year-old mother of four, with a marvelous husband, one grandson, and two granddaughters. I started singing when I was 8 years old. God has taken me down many paths since then. At the age of 9, twice a copperhead bit me. At the age of 10, I was in a severe car accident with my family. In the 10th grade, I started working at a rest home as a volunteer. I enjoyed it so much, that I continued through until the 12th grade. I was told that I could not stay there anymore because I was spending too much time with the patients. I sang to them brushed their hair, and rubbed their feet. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I say this to let you know that I have a deep love for my elders. At the age of 25, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a complete Hysterectomy. God wasn’t finished testing me yet. At 32, I was diagnosed with a Vertebral Artery Dissection in the brain. As you can imagine, I often wondered how much a body could take. I trusted in the Lord to take care of me, and he did. In 1997, I started my own business so I could stay home with my children. God blessed the business with an overabundance of joy and financial blessings. I still sang for Gods glory during all of the trails and all of the good times. I learned from reading Gods word and from huge amounts of self-motivational books, that "If it is to be, its up to me!" I decided that it was time for me to give back something of myself to mankind; by helping others feel good about themselves, and to have a positive attitude no matter what the situation. I began doing that through sharing my testimony. In June of 2001, I was once again diagnosed with Cancer. This time of the Colon, I prayed for God to get me through this and once again he delivered me. He wasn’t finished with me yet, so in February 2002, I was diagnosed with Cancer of the Liver. I told God that I would bear the load if only I could touch one person. He allowed me to touch more than one; he has allowed me to touch thousands. Before going into surgery for the Liver Cancer, the doctors told me to get my affairs in order because I probably wouldn’t make it through this time. I told them that they weren’t God, and that he would decide when it was time for me to go. I got through that one with a victorious smile and a lot of pain after 9 hours of surgery and a lot of prayer. With great expectations, I continued to sing Gods praises. Little did I know that he had more in store for me, In June of 2003, I was diagnosed with Rectal Cancer. They told me I would have a permanent colostomy and basically not much of a life. They wanted me to go to counseling, but God wanted me to be the counselor. Have you ever wondered what your family member or friends are going through when they are diagnosed with cancer? Just read the words of my book for encouragement. There is something you can do to help. You can take action now by purchasing my book. I guarantee that you will travel an emotional highway as you live through the experiences with me. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will rejoice with me as you find the answers that you have been searching for. In conclusion, I just want to sing and share my testimony with the world.My prayer is that this book will be a blessing to you and your loved ones. It has been very healing for me to write. I look forward to sharing my whole story with you in the upcoming pages of One Woman’s Story: How I Survived Cervical, Colon, Liver and Rectal Cancer. In His Grip, Karen www.4xcancersurvivor.com fourxsurvivor@yahoo.com

This site was born out of the realization that each one of us who experiences cancer is forced to become a sort of detective, researching symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options amidst grappling with how to adapt to a new way of living.

Those who have just started on this journey should be able to better see the trail ahead once it's been illuminated by the experiences of those who have gone before. This is the place to record those experiences.

We're here for each other

There are plenty of great places to donate money to help find a cure for cancer. This is not one of those places. wikiCancer is intended to be the central repository for us, the cancer community, to share experiences and perspectives on all things cancer.

Each one of us can add our bit and every one of us should -- it's easy and it could make the difference to the next person who stops by. The site only grows stronger and more helpful as we build upon each other's contributions. So go ahead, inspire and help others by adding what you know.

Share your story

Whether you have cancer, are in remission or simply care about someone with cancer, this is the forum to share your experiences, discoveries, and feelings about your journey with cancer.

The memory wall

The memory wall is for sharing stories about our friends and family who battled cancer but are no longer with us. Leaving a lasting memory of their lives can help inspire others so come to the wall and share their legacy.

Support groups

Support groups are an integral part of many cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers lives. Find a support group or share your experiences here.

Cancer websites

There are tons of other cancer websites out there. Some provide provide accurate and valuable information -- others don't. Which sites have you found to be particularly helpful or unhelpful?

Sources of support

As you know, there are many options through which to seek support while battling cancer. Here's where you can give your honest opinions about those options. From support groups to newletters to movies, there's a place for everything. Help others by sharing your feedback on which are the best.

Doctor and hospital feedback

One of the most practical things a site like wikiCancer can provide is the ability for us to share our experiences with the medical profession.

Do you owe your life to the talents of a particular hematologist?
Do you think people should steer clear of your urologist?
Did you find that the nurses at your local community hospital went above and beyond?
Were the technicians at a world-famous cancer center cold and uncaring?

Tell us about it!

Recipe ideas

Many of us will turn to food as an important source of support throughout the journey. Share the recipes that gave you the energy to keep on pushing and the comfort to get through the toughest of times.

Check out the Cancer Lifeline Cookbook! It's got great healthy recipes that are really tasty.

See also

Shared stories
Supporting others
Giving back
Living with cancer

Shared stories

Jennyreg — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:08:11 CST

Hi - my name is Jenny and I have survived Breast Cancer for over ten years now. I am thanking God every day for my life and what a wonderful life it is today. I really believe in the power of positive thinking and living a strong and healthy lifestyle. God is your creator and he gave you a head to use so use it for the good of you to benefit many others. That is my story and I am sticking to it. T
he following is an article I have written and would like to share with you. Please enjoy!

Essential Ingredients to GOOD HEALTH!

Love, Life & Laughter - Sounds wonderful doesn't it?

Have you ever really thought about the true meaning of each of these valuable words; in your words only; solely relating to you.

www.cancertohealthylifestyle.com

http://cancertohealthylifestyle.frupee.com

http://www.cancerhelpsupport.com/

~~~~~
Hi, my name is Diane. Have you ever wondered how in the world that one person can survive so much pain and suffering in their life? Well, I would love to share with you how I went from despair to joy. Would you like to find out what it's like from a cancer patients point of view? Our bodies are miraculous!! It's amazing how much abuse, pain, surgery, poking and prodding that a body can endure. Mine has come through 14 different surgeries in just the last 14 years. Walk with me as I share my journey through this incredible ordeal. It has taken a lot of personal development on my part to get me through the trauma. My story could possibly be your story. There are probably many things that we have in common, you just haven't written yours down. I pray that you will have the courage to do so after reading my book. My name is Karen; I am a 44-year-old mother of four, with a marvelous husband, one grandson, and two granddaughters. I started singing when I was 8 years old. God has taken me down many paths since then. At the age of 9, twice a copperhead bit me. At the age of 10, I was in a severe car accident with my family. In the 10th grade, I started working at a rest home as a volunteer. I enjoyed it so much, that I continued through until the 12th grade. I was told that I could not stay there anymore because I was spending too much time with the patients. I sang to them brushed their hair, and rubbed their feet. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I say this to let you know that I have a deep love for my elders. At the age of 25, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a complete Hysterectomy. God wasn’t finished testing me yet. At 32, I was diagnosed with a Vertebral Artery Dissection in the brain. As you can imagine, I often wondered how much a body could take. I trusted in the Lord to take care of me, and he did. In 1997, I started my own business so I could stay home with my children. God blessed the business with an overabundance of joy and financial blessings. I still sang for Gods glory during all of the trails and all of the good times. I learned from reading Gods word and from huge amounts of self-motivational books, that "If it is to be, its up to me!" I decided that it was time for me to give back something of myself to mankind; by helping others feel good about themselves, and to have a positive attitude no matter what the situation. I began doing that through sharing my testimony. In June of 2001, I was once again diagnosed with Cancer. This time of the Colon, I prayed for God to get me through this and once again he delivered me. He wasn’t finished with me yet, so in February 2002, I was diagnosed with Cancer of the Liver. I told God that I would bear the load if only I could touch one person. He allowed me to touch more than one; he has allowed me to touch thousands. Before going into surgery for the Liver Cancer, the doctors told me to get my affairs in order because I probably wouldn’t make it through this time. I told them that they weren’t God, and that he would decide when it was time for me to go. I got through that one with a victorious smile and a lot of pain after 9 hours of surgery and a lot of prayer. With great expectations, I continued to sing Gods praises. Little did I know that he had more in store for me, In June of 2003, I was diagnosed with Rectal Cancer. They told me I would have a permanent colostomy and basically not much of a life. They wanted me to go to counseling, but God wanted me to be the counselor. Have you ever wondered what your family member or friends are going through when they are diagnosed with cancer? Just read the words of my book for encouragement. There is something you can do to help. You can take action now by purchasing my book. I guarantee that you will travel an emotional highway as you live through the experiences with me. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will rejoice with me as you find the answers that you have been searching for. In conclusion, I just want to sing and share my testimony with the world.My prayer is that this book will be a blessing to you and your loved ones. It has been very healing for me to write. I look forward to sharing my whole story with you in the upcoming pages of One Woman’s Story: How I Survived Cervical, Colon, Liver and Rectal Cancer. In His Grip, Karen www.4xcancersurvivor.com fourxsurvivor@yahoo.com

This story is about a friend named Chuck Warman; I'm sharing this story we wrote because it needs to be told.

Chuck Warman: Winning the fight to live

Chuck Warman is not one to back down from a fight. As clean air activists in their hometown of Moscow, Ohio, Chuck’s wife Bonnie and he are no strangers to big challenges. So when Chuck was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, he was concerned, not afraid.

“I went upstairs and said a prayer,” says Chuck. “I counted my blessings and asked how I could be allowed to die now, and I was given the word that I was not going to die from this disease, period. I got up, and that’s been good enough for me.”

Chuck’s positive attitude, determination and the support of Bonnie and their three children – Jacob, Jessica, and Nathan – helped him face his disease. Chuck went into remission and remained healthy.

Seven years later during a routine procedure at Cincinnati’s Christ Hospital, Chuck was told he should see a hepatologist immediately – his Hepatitis C had returned. His hepatologist performed several tests before treating him. Suddenly, the family faced the biggest fight of their lives: Chuck had developed primary liver cancer, and it was inoperable.

“It was devastating,” says Bonnie.

Unfortunately, there was more bad news: only two types of treatments available held promise for saving Chuck’s life. If unsuccessful, he’d have just four to six months to live.

On his doctor’s advice, Chuck began a course of Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA). RFA sends high-frequency radio waves to tumors through a thin probe inserted into the body. Repeated RFA treatments can damage healthy tissues as well as cancerous ones, a problem Chuck encountered during his treatments.

Says Chuck, “They must’ve poked about 50 holes in me; they had to stop because I had so many lesions in my liver. If we’d kept going, my liver would’ve shut down.”

With RFA’s failure, it was recommended that he try an innovative cancer therapy called TheraSphere instead.

TheraSphere is a form of brachytherapy, a radiotherapy in which the source of radiation is delivered directly into the area being treated. Millions of tiny, radioactive glass beads, approximately 20 – 30 micrometers in diameter each (one micrometer is about the size of a talcum powder particle) are delivered to the tumor via a small catheter. By targeting only cancerous tissues, the beads destroy dangerous cells while minimizing the impact on healthy tissue.

Minimally invasive, brachytherapy reduces most severe side effects – nausea, vomiting and hair loss – associated with traditional treatments such as systemic chemotherapy. Patients are generally treated in an outpatient setting with local anesthesia, aren’t required to change their diet, and can resume normal activities as quickly as a day after treatment.

Despite his diagnosis, Chuck remained optimistic and took a proactive role in his healthcare. He spent precious hours giving himself a crash course on his condition, available therapies, and the TheraSphere treatment his hepatologist had recommended.

“He likes to get online and research everything, so for days, he was busy researching,” chuckles Bonnie. “We couldn’t get ten minutes with Chuck for three days because he had his nose buried in the computer.”

What Chuck learned online sounded promising.

“The majority of what I found was about people just like me – people who were told that their case was hopeless. But then they tried the beads, and the majority of them were able to get transplants. But even the ones that weren’t transplanted saw their quality of life get a lot better,” says Chuck.

Chuck realized TheraSphere was his best chance of survival, so he underwent the treatments as recommended. He became one of the first patients to receive TheraSphere at University Hospital, in Cincinnati and was the first patient there to have both lobes treated. Chuck recalls that first treatment with typical good humor.

“It was so new, there was stuff falling over. An equipment technician was in with me, saying, ‘I hope we don’t bother you’. It was like the TV show M*A*S*H*,” he laughs. “But it went very well. I felt well enough that I got up the next morning at 4:30 and went fishing all day with my stepfather.”

The treatments were successful and Chuck’s tumors shrunk to the point where he was eligible for transplant. The minimal side effects enabled him to continue working and remain active in the community. But the family received yet another shock: despite the positive effects of the brachytherapy, Chuck’s insurance carrier had changed their coverage policy, declaring further treatments medically unnecessary.

“They yanked the rug out from under me,” Chuck recalls.

“We knew this was his last shot, this was it,” adds Bonnie. “It made me mad. If you’re sending people to their deaths because of a buck, you should be held accountable. Someone has to stand up and say, ‘enough’.”

Chuck and Bonnie refused to accept the denial; instead, they educated themselves about their carrier’s policies and then, they fought back. The family telephoned their insurance company, wrote letters to its medical adjusters, and shared their story online. Meanwhile, Chuck’s doctors met with insurance company representatives to explain why his life depended on brachytherapy. His employer rallied behind him too, having their human resources managers barrage the carrier with calls demanding to know why coverage was denied. The couple also reached out to the media, telling their story publicly.

The family’s efforts paid off. Facing united opposition on every front, Chuck’s insurance carrier begrudgingly agreed to cover additional treatments. He finished the course of brachytherapy, with excellent results.

“My tumors are shrinking and my CAT scan shows no cancer outside the liver,” Chuck says. “Now, I’m eligible for a liver transplant.”

Chuck is teaching others to duplicate his success. He formed a monthly Hepatitis C support group and acts as a mentor to others facing similar situations. He also joined an email discussion group for people who have undergone or are considering the bead therapy for liver cancer.

The family recently celebrated Jacob’s marriage just before he shipped out to Iraq. Chuck and Bonnie remain very socially active and avidly tend their several-acre garden. Chuck’s return to the transplant eligibility list enabled him to receive a new liver at the University of Indiana. So far, all indications are that the transplant was a success. He is healthy and optimistic, and his outlook on life is positive, as always.

“I feel great. I’m going to live,” Chuck says with a smile.

"The Being"

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:35:57 CST

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